How to position yourself at the desk to relieve knee and back pain

It’s a fact that we spend over 8 hours at a desk or on a chair everyday. It’s no longer not an option to work from a desk unless you’re out on the field. While you may think that sitting at a desk is the most comfortable job, it really isn’t. Sitting at a desk improperly is what is the leading cause of back and neck pain.

Steven Conway, Ph.D., a chiropractor and attorney in Athens, Wisconsin, and a spokesperson for the American Chiropractic Association says that we’re built to move as humans. Sitting in one place over a long period of time puts us at risk for chronic pain related to different kinds of joint pains.

Dr.Conway has come up with some of the best ways to address pain while spending time at your work desk:

Neck Pain

The problem: You’re used to cradling your phone between your shoulder and neck while you do other work such as looking at your screen.

The fix: The simplest solution is to use a handsfree headset or the speaker phone and make sure you have your screen adjusted so you’re not having to tilt your neck up or down to look at it.

Mid back Pain

The problem: Slouching at your chair and sitting still for over an hour

The fix: Get out of your chair more often, doctors recommend moving every 20 minutes. It’s also easy to do some simple stretches from your chair, such as looking up at the ceiling and sitting flat against the back of the chair. The best case scenario though is to get off your chair and just take a 2 minute walk around the office.

Lower Back Pain

The problem: Your chair is not at the right height and the chair back is completely vertical

The fix: First proceed to adjust your chair height and make sure your arms align with your desk so that they’re slightly bent when typing. Also make sure your seat is reclining or has lumbar support. Adjust the tilt of your chair to maintain the curve of lower spine. If your chair doesn’t provide the right support you can consider getting a support cushion to help you.